Dual Gravity and Matter

TL;DR

This paper investigates the challenges of formulating a dual description of gravity when matter is present, highlighting obstructions in extending dual graviton concepts beyond linearized gravity.

Contribution

It identifies specific obstructions to dual graviton formulations in matter-coupled gravity and discusses potential ways to overcome these difficulties.

Findings

Dual graviton construction is limited to linearized gravity without matter

Coupling matter introduces obstructions to dual formulations

Possible resolutions for these obstructions are discussed

Abstract

We consider the problem of finding a dual formulation of gravity in the presence of non-trivial matter couplings. In the absence of matter a dual graviton can be introduced only for linearised gravitational interactions. We show that the coupling of linearised gravity to matter poses obstructions to the usual construction and comment on possible resolutions of this difficulty.